Change of academic year

This is with reference to Mr. Sami Mustafa’s letter {January 27} on above captioned issue. He was of the view that the month of August is appropriate part of the year to begin an academic year.

I have some stakes in this issue as I am associated with a government educational institution. I have some points to put before the policy makers and general readers on this issue.

1-I believe that March is most suitable part of the year to put the students under examination. If we start the academic year in the month of August, it would force the students to appear for final examination in the month of May, which has very harsh weather. So, it would be better suggested from the students and human point view to start the new academic session in the month of April. It would let the students to focus upon their examination comfortably.

2-This point that students would forget whatever they studied before summer vacation, is false and bogus and past experience does not support it .we can keep students involved in studies through some home assignments and other such activities can be worked out.

3- If the academic session would start in August, students would do nothing except wasting their time during long vacations. This has been observed at the beginning of on going session that students did nothing productive from June to mid of August. Again this year, the final examination of grade-viii would start on 25^th march and it will take two weeks to complete. So, what would student do for four long moths, before the beginning of new session on 15^th August Our policy makers must try to devise some strategy in order to save the precious time of our generation. We do not have such arrangements which could enable our students to make their spare time productive. The parents have already conveyed their reservations regarding the beginning of new session in the month of August to the academic staff of various educational institutions.

4-There is an other side of this issue. Teachers need to be given some break to get refresh and it is fact that human beings can not function as machines. This break could be provided from 1^st April to 10^th April, before teachers could go for new session. They would review the syllabus and chalk out the teaching strategies for new session during this break. On the other hand, it would give students some time to get new books. This time students were unable to get new books until mid-September.

The future of our generation is at risk and our policy makers must not ignore this issue. A wise decision needed to be taken.

Daily DAWN, March,2008